Method and apparatus for reducing drag of blunt shaped vehicles

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for reducing the drag of a motor vehicle includes a mechanism for diverting air attached to a front portion of the vehicle and a vacuum plate having openings therein for attachment to a back of the vehicle. Mechanisms for diverting air include a cover piece encasing a front portion of the vehicle, one or more separation panels attached to the front of the vehicle, and one or more tubular members attached to the front of the vehicle. Both the cover piece and vacuum plate are attached to the vehicle so that a space is maintained between the vehicle and the cover piece and vacuum plate, respectively.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of, and priority to,provisional application Serial No. 60/306,436, filed Jul. 12, 2001,which application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatusfor reducing the drag, and thereby the operating costs, of blunt shapedvehicles, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus which reducesor collapses the partial or complete vacuum that forms at the frontedges and back of blunt vehicles as they move through an air block.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Efforts to reduce the drag of a radial airplane engine byenclosing it in a cowling has been known in the art for some time.Further, efforts to reduce the drag of other types of motor vehiclessuch as cars and trucks have also been known in the art for some time.However, typical drag reducing devices for vehicles involve panels ofsome kind which are generally used to change the shape of the vehiclewhile it is in motion or when it exceeds a predetermined speed.

[0004] Typical drag reducing devices fail to employ a method to directthe air through a small space in order to manipulate the pressure of theair to reduce drag. Accordingly, there is a need for such a dragreducing device in order to decrease operating costs and increase theefficiency of a vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A principal object of the present invention is to provide anefficient and cost effective method and apparatus for reducing the dragthat is created in blunt shaped vehicles when the vehicles are in motionthereby reducing their operating costs.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, anapparatus for reducing such drag includes a cover piece or cowling forencasing a front portion of a vehicle and a vacuum plate for attachmentto the back or rear of the vehicle where the vacuum plate has multipleopenings in it for air to pass through. The cover piece or cowling ispreferably attached to the vehicle at a predetermined distance from thevehicle such that a space or opening is maintained between the coverpiece and the vehicle so that air can pass through the space or opening.Moreover, the vacuum plate is also preferably attached to the back ofthe vehicle at a predetermined distance from the back of the vehicle sothat an opening or space is maintained between the back of the vehicleand the vacuum plate.

[0007] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, othermechanisms for diverting air flow at the front of the vehicle may takethe place of the cover piece or cowling. For example, one or more panelsmay be attached to the front portion of the vehicle for separating airmass. In another example, one or more tubular members may be attached tothe front of the vehicle for diverting air flow.

[0008] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a secondvacuum plate having multiple openings may be attached to the vacuumplate at a predetermined distance from the vacuum plate so that anopening or space is maintained between the two vacuum plates. Theopenings in the vacuum plates may vary in size, shape, andconfiguration. Further, in an effort to provide an apparatus forreducing drag that can be easily attached and detached from a vehicle, asolid plate member having means for receiving the vacuum plate at apredetermined distance may be attached, either permanently or removably,to the back of the vehicle. In addition, the vacuum plates may beremovably or permanently attached to one another at a spaced apartdistance thereby allowing them to be attached to the back of the vehicleas one unit or as separate sheets for use either in combination or oneat a time.

[0009] In accordance with still a further aspect of the invention,additional cover members may be attached to the front portion of avehicle depending on the type and configuration of the vehicle. Forexample, a method and apparatus for reducing the drag of a semi-trucktrailer may further include a second cover piece for attachment to ahood of the cab and a third cover piece for attachment to the top of thecab where the initial cover piece encasing a front portion of thevehicle is positioned to encase a front portion of the trailer. Thesecond and third cover pieces are attached to the cab such that anopening or space exists between the cover pieces and the cab.

[0010] The present invention also includes a method for reducing thedrag of a blunt shaped vehicle which includes the steps of attaching amechanism for diverting air to a front portion of the vehicle, andattaching a vacuum plate having multiple openings therein to the back ofthe vehicle so that a space is created between the vacuum plate and theback of the vehicle.

[0011] The method and apparatus of the present invention provides anefficient and cost effective means for reducing the drag of blunt shapedvehicles. The method and apparatus of the present invention is low incost to produce, will not require maintenance, and will increase gasmileage. Furthermore, little or no alteration is required to equipvehicles with the apparatus of the present invention and the apparatusmay be utilized as an after market add on.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Additional aspects of the present invention should become evidentupon reviewing the non-limiting embodiments described in thespecification taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures,wherein like numerals designate like elements, and:

[0013]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of thedrag reducing apparatus of the present invention shown attached to asemi-truck trailer;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an exemplary embodiment ofthe vacuum plate of the drag reducing apparatus of the present inventionshown in FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of another exemplaryembodiment of the vacuum plate of the drag reducing apparatus of thepresent invention;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another exemplary embodiment of anair diverting mechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of the presentinvention shown attached to the front of a cargo box of a semi-trucktrailer;

[0017]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of yet another exemplary embodimentof an air diverting mechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of thepresent invention shown attached to the front of a cargo box of asemi-truck trailer;

[0018]FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the cab of a semi-trucktrailer shown having still another exemplary embodiment of an airdiverting mechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of the presentinvention attached thereto;

[0019]FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the cab of the semi-trucktrailer shown in FIG. 6; and

[0020] FIGS. 8A-8C show yet another embodiment of an air divertingmechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments of theinvention only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicabilityor configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the followingdescription is intended to provide a convenient illustration forimplementing various embodiments of the invention. As will becomeapparent, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement ofthe elements described herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. For example, though not specifically described,many shapes and orientations of the cover piece or cowling, theseparation panels, the tubular members, the vacuum plate, and theopenings in the vacuum plate, and alternative mechanisms for attachingthe cover pieces and vacuum plates to a vehicle should be understood tofall within the scope of the present invention.

[0022] A perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the dragreducing apparatus 10 of the present invention is shown attached to avehicle is illustrated in FIG. 1. Drag reducing apparatus 10 includes amechanism for directing air flow such as cover piece or cowling 12 and avacuum plate 14 having a plurality of openings 13 therein which isattached to the rear of the vehicle. Cowling as used herein shall referto any type of cover piece, hood, or enclosure which is capable ofenclosing a portion of a vehicle. Cowling 12 is attached to a frontportion of the vehicle, and in this illustration, it is attached to thefront of a cargo trailer portion of a semi-truck trailer. Cowling 12 isattached to the vehicle at a predetermined distance X from the vehiclein order to maintain a space or opening between the top and sides of thevehicle.

[0023] Cowling 12 may be attached to the vehicle by bolting a bottom ofcowling 12 to the underside of the vehicle and further adding one ormore support bars 18 to ensure cowling 16 maintains its position.Cowling 16 is preferably comprised of a rigid and durable material suchas metal or hard plastic. Further, cowling 16 may comprise any shape orconfiguration to enable it to cover and/or conform to the edges, top andsides of a vehicle.

[0024] Vacuum plate 14 may comprise different embodiments, examples ofwhich are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The embodiment of vacuum plate 14shown in FIG. 2 includes a first vacuum plate 22 having a plurality ofopenings 23 therein attached to a solid plate 24 which is in turnattached to the back of a vehicle at a predetermined distance Y from thevehicle in order to maintain a space or opening between the vehicle andfirst vacuum plate 22. Solid plate 24 may be attached to the back of thevehicle by a sliding and locking mechanism, a pin mechanism 25 and orany other similarly functioning mechanism known in the prior art forsecurely attaching one element to another. Similarly, first vacuum plate22 may be connected to solid plate 24 either removably or permanently bythose mechanisms known in the art for securely attaching one element toanother.

[0025] In addition, vacuum plate 14 may further comprise a second vacuumplate 26 having a plurality of openings 27 therein attached to firstvacuum plate 22. As with first vacuum plate 22, second vacuum plate 26may be attached to first vacuum plate 22 either removably or permanentlywith connecting mechanisms known in the art. Second vacuum plate 26 isconnected to first vacuum plate 22 at a predetermined distance Z fromfirst vacuum plate 22 in order to maintain a space or opening betweenfirst and second vacuum plates 22 and 26. Solid plate 24 and first andsecond vacuum plates 22 and 26 are preferably comprised of a rigid anddurable material capable of maintaining its shape such as a metal orhard plastic. Moreover, it should be understood by those in the art thatfirst vacuum plate 22 may be attached directly to the back of a vehiclewithout the use of solid plate 24.

[0026] Another embodiment of vacuum plate 14 of the present invention isshown in FIG. 3. This embodiment includes only solid plate 24 and secondvacuum plate having openings 27 therein for air to pass through. Eitherfirst or second vacuum plate 22 and 26 may be attached to sold plate 24in this embodiment. Openings 23 and 27 in first and second vacuum plates22 and 26, respectively, may be of any shape, size or configuration inorder to control or manipulate air flow through the openings 23 and 27.

[0027] Turning now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of another exemplaryembodiment of an air diverting mechanism of the drag reducing apparatusof the present invention shown attached to the front of a cargo box of asemi-truck trailer is illustrated. In this embodiment, the air divertingmechanism comprises at least one separation panel 30 attachedperpendicular to the front of the vehicle. A pair of separation panels30 are shown attached in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 shows yet another exemplaryembodiment of an air diverting mechanism of the drag reducing apparatusof the present invention shown attached to the front of a cargo box of asemi-truck trailer. In this embodiment, the air diverting mechanismcomprises at least one tubular member having at least one opening forreceiving air and at least one opening for expelling air. The particularembodiment shown in FIG. 5 includes a first tubular member 32 attachedto a second tubular member 34 wherein the interiors of tubular members32 and 34 are in contiguous with one another. During movement of avehicle, air enters opening 36 in tubular member 32 and exits throughopenings 38 in second tubular member 34. Tubular member 34 is attachedto the front of a vehicle or cargo container as shown in FIG. 5. It willbe understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention mayinclude many different configurations of separation panels 30 andtubular members 32 and 34.

[0028]FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the cab of a semi-trucktrailer shown having still another exemplary embodiment of an airreducing mechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of the presentinvention attached thereto. FIG. 6 shows a second cover piece or cowling40 attached to a top of the cab of a truck and a third cover piece orcowling 42 attached to the hood of the cab. Cowlings 40 and 42 areconnected to the vehicle by support bars 44 which may be attached toboth the vehicle and cowlings 40 and 42 by any conventional connectionmeans known in the art for attaching one element to another. Cowlings 40and 42 may be either permanently or removably attached to the vehicle.Furthermore, as with cowling 12 shown in FIG. 1, second and thirdcowlings 40 and 42 are attached to the vehicle at a predetermineddistance X from the vehicle in order to maintain a space or openingbetween the vehicle and cowlings 40 and 42.

[0029] A side elevational view of the cab of the semi-truck trailershown in FIG. 6 is illustrated in FIG. 7. Cowlings 40 and 42 preferablycomprise the configuration and materials previously described withreference to cowling 12 shown in FIG. 1 and are preferably attached to avehicle so that they are adjustable, i.e. so that the angle at whichthey sit can be changed by moving cowlings 40 and 42 by hand.

[0030] FIGS. 8A-8C show yet another embodiment of an air divertingmechanism of the drag reducing apparatus of the present invention. FIG.8A is a side elevational view of the cab of a semi-truck trailer shownwith the air diverting mechanism 50 attached to a front bumper of thecab. Air diverting mechanism 50 comprises a curved or angled plate 52having a slit 54 as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C. FIG. 8B is a crosssectional side view of air diverting mechanism 50 and FIG. 8C is a frontelevational view of air diverting mechanism 50. Curved or angled plate52 is preferably comprised of the same materials which comprise cowlings40 and 42.

[0031] The exemplary embodiments of the drag reducing apparatus of thepresent invention employ Bernoulli's principle, namely that as velocityof air increases, its pressure decreases, to reduce the drag. Each ofthe exemplary embodiments explained herein are configured to require theair in front of a moving vehicle to move through a smaller space therebyincreasing the velocity of the air. As the velocity of the airincreases, the pressure of the air decreases thereby reducing drag onthe vehicle.

[0032] It should be apparent that many alterations of the drag reducingapparatus embodiments described herein may be made. For example,cowlings 12, 40 and 42 and openings 23 and 27 may each comprisedifferent shapes, sizes and configurations depending upon the vehiclefor which the apparatus is intended.

[0033] Lastly, various aspects of the invention have been described inillustrative embodiments. Of course, many combinations and modificationsof the above-described structures, arrangements, proportions, elements,materials and components, used in the practice of the invention, inaddition to those not specifically described, may be varied andparticularly adapted to specific environments and operating requirementswithout departing from those principles.

1. An apparatus for reducing drag of blunt shaped vehicles comprising: amechanism for diverting air attached to a front of a vehicle; and avacuum plate attached to a rear portion of the vehicle.
 2. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said mechanism for diverting air comprises anenclosure which encases a front portion of the vehicle withoutcontacting a top or a side of the vehicle.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2wherein said enclosure is square or rectangular in shape in order to fitover a front portion of a trailer portion of a semi-truck trailer. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vacuum plate comprises a platehaving a plurality of openings contained therein for allowing air topass through.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said plurality ofopenings vary in at least one of size, shape, and configuration.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said vacuum plate comprises a first solidplate attached to the rear portion of the vehicle and a second platehaving a plurality of openings therethrough attached to said first solidplate at a predetermined distance from said first solid plate.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6 wherein said plurality of openings vary in at leastone of size, shape, and configuration.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6further comprising a third plate having a plurality of openingstherethrough attached to said second plate at a predetermined distancefrom said second plate.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein saidplurality of openings in said third plate vary in at least one of size,shape, or configuration.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein saidmechanism for diverting air comprises at least one separation panelperpendicularly attached to the front of the vehicle.
 11. The apparatusof claim 1 wherein said mechanism for diverting air comprises at leastone tubular member having at least one opening for receiving air and atleast one opening for expelling air.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said mechanism for diverting air comprises an enclosure locatedabove a roof of said vehicle which encases a portion of the vehiclewithout contacting a top or a side of the vehicle and a cover piece forcovering at least a portion of a hood of said vehicle attached to saidhood at a predetermined distance from said hood thereby creating anopening between said cover piece and said hood.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein said mechanism for diverting air comprises an enclosurewhich encases a front portion of a trailer portion of a semi-trucktrailer such that an opening exists between the enclosure and a top andsides of said trailer, a first cover piece for covering at least aportion of a hood of a cab portion of said semi-truck trailer, and asecond cover piece for covering at least a portion of a hood of saidcab.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first and second coverpieces are attached to said cap at a predetermined distance from saidcab thereby creating an opening between said cab and each of said firstand second cover pieces.
 15. An apparatus for reducing drag in a bluntshaped vehicle comprising: a cowling for encasing at least a frontportion of said vehicle such that an opening can be maintained betweensaid cowling and a top and sides of said vehicle; and a vacuum platehaving a plurality of openings contained therein for allowing air topass through wherein said vacuum plate is capable of being attached to arear portion of said vehicle at a predetermined distance from saidvehicle thereby creating an opening between said vacuum plate and saidvehicle.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said plurality ofopenings vary in at least one of size, shape, and configuration.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 15 further comprising a second vacuum plate havingopenings therein for allowing air to pass through wherein said secondvacuum plate is attached to said first vacuum plate at a predetermineddistance from said first vacuum plate thereby creating a space betweensaid first and second vacuum plates.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17wherein said plurality of openings in said second vacuum plate vary inat least one of size, shape, and configuration.
 19. A method forreducing drag in a blunt shaped vehicle comprising the steps of:attaching a mechanism for diverting air to a front of the vehicle; andattaching a vacuum plate having a plurality of openings therein to aback of said vehicle such that a space is created between the vacuumplate and the back of said vehicle.
 20. The method of claim 19 whereinsaid step of attaching a mechanism for diverting air comprises the stepof enclosing at least a front portion of said vehicle with a coveringsuch that an opening exists between said covering and said vehicle. 21.The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of varying at leastone of a size, a shape, and a configuration of said plurality ofopenings.
 22. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step ofattaching a second vacuum plate having a plurality of openings thereinto said vacuum plate at a predetermined distance from said vacuum platethereby creating a space between said vacuum plate and said secondvacuum plate.
 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step ofvarying at least one of a size, a shape, and a configuration of saidplurality of openings in said second vacuum plate.
 24. The method ofclaim 19 wherein said step of attaching a mechanism for diverting aircomprises the step of attaching at least one separation panelperpendicular to the front of the vehicle.
 25. The method of claim 19wherein said step of attaching a mechanism for diverting air comprisesthe step of attaching at least one tubular member to the front of thevehicle.